


Loco Parentis: Or a list of things Hercules isn't above doing for his friends

by writelikeitsgoingoutofstyle (twoandahalfslytherins)



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-07
Updated: 2016-01-16
Packaged: 2018-05-12 11:01:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5663770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twoandahalfslytherins/pseuds/writelikeitsgoingoutofstyle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of short writing experiments about Resident Dad Friend, Hercules Mulligan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Breaking and Entering

When Hercules' door flew open without so much as a knock, he knew it was Alex without glancing up from the laptop on his desk. He took a moment move his headphones so that they were around his neck instead of in his ears before turning to look at the freshman. To be honest, he was just impressed that he'd finally managed to get the man to finally realize that it didn't matter how much he said if someone had headphone's in, and to instead wait until he was acknowledged to start talking a mile a minute.

Alex's arms were crossed, foot tapping impatiently, "Someone broke into my room."

Hercules frowned, standing up, "Alright, we'll go check it out, so I can write up an incident report. What was taken?"

Even though Alex had turned to head back to his room, the man shook his head, "Nothing is missing."

"Nothing is missing or nothing you want to admit you had in your room is missing?" 

Alex turned to glance at him, rolling his eyes in the process, somehow more upset that Hercules would imply that he was hiding something than his room being raided, "Have I ever been less than honest with you about contraband? Nothing is missing."

When Mulligan stopped walking, it took Alex a few steps to realize that the man wasn't following, "Hey! Are you going to come check it out? This is a security breach. It's important."

Mulligan stared at the freshman, trying his best to not allow exasperation show in his tone,"If nothing is missing, Alex, why do you think someone broke in?"

"There's orange juice in my fridge! And soup was sitting on top of the microwave."

Hercules groaned, suddenly regretting not asking Alex questions before bothering to stand up at all, "Alex, did you or did you not tell me that you thought you were getting sick last night?"

"Yeah? So?" It wasn't until Hercules had turned around, shoving his hands in his pockets as he started to head back towards his room that Alex understood, "That was you! You broke into my room!"

Hercules shrugged, "It's not breaking in if I have a key."


	2. Lie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> different universe from 'Breaking and Entering'
> 
> Same Universe as 'Non-Stop'

When during the first month of the school year Washington asks him if there's anyone on his floor that he's particularly concerned about, Hercules shakes his head and talks about how proud he is of his hallmates. About how they all seem to be getting along well, especially the freshmen. He shares what he knows about their grades, makes jokes about them thinking he doesn't see the parade of different girls in and out of their rooms. Says nothing about the contraband that both Washington and he know they have. After all, there's a limit for everything and so long as no one crosses the line, Hercules is happy to play the role of the relaxed RA. The cool RA, the one they can smoke hookah with on occasion or throw a ball with.

When weeks later Washington asks him about Alex in particular, Hercules frowns.

"He's doing the best he can," Hercules says.

"I've been checking in with his professors, he hasn't been missing classes," he writes in an email.

"He didn't come back to the dorm tonight," he confides in Lafayette.

When Washington asks him about his planned programming, Hercules soars.

Talks about the safe sex night he has coming up, about the speakers he's invited to talk about condoms and consent and getting tested. Talks about the mocktail event he's planning to do next month, a chance to enjoy fancy non-alcoholic beverages and brainstorm better ways to enjoy themselves than drugs and alcohol. He mentions the bulletin board he has up now, talking about the consequences of drug use, of how to spot an addiction in a friend, of how to turn down drugs when they're offered. The rest of the building might joke about his one-man anti-drug campaign, but it's something he feels strongly on.

When Alex tells him he's doing fine, Hercules raises an eyebrow and waits him out.

Even when the freshman opens up, it's barely tangential. Complaints about the cost of food and schooling, complaints about how angry he is when John shows up with another black eye, complaints about the weather, about girls and boys. Nothing about the shaking, nothing about the hours he keeps, nothing about the bruises that Hercules knows he is hiding.

When after a particularly bad night kept half the hall up from the loud noises coming from Alex's room, Washington wonders out loud if he should be more concerned, Hercules says, "He's going through a rough time. But we've got it under control."

When Washington asks, more pointedly, if there's any reason to suspect that someone on his floor is using, Hercules promises him that he doesn't think anyone is.

If the look Washington sends him means anything, they both know he's lying.


	3. Wear Dumb Shirts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Non-specific universe.

It was Alexander's idea. 

And then Lafayette had agreed that it was a great one and of course Laurens was willing to go along with all of Alex's ridiculous plans. Hercules had tried to argue, he really truly had. After all, they were adult men. Adult men who should be able to take care of themselves and use common sense. Alex had only pouted, looking up at him until Hercules finally told them that they could do whatever it was that they wanted, just not to expect him to be involved in the planning process.

That had been mistake number two, number one had been agreeing to bar crawl with them in honor of Alex's upcoming marriage. At least they'd all agreed that there would be no strippers involved, no sex workers, no college girls offered free shots for lap dances. No, while Alex wanted to party, he respected Eliza far too much to participate in the usual shenanigans that happened at Bachelor parties. So they'd settled on this, just four good friends going out and getting absolutely trashed.

While wearing matching shirts. 

Originally Hercules trepidation was just that the shirts would look ridiculous, that they had no need of identifying themselves as a group by their clothing. It was only when they'd all shown up at his house that morning, already wearing theirs, that he'd realized his error in not being involved. From the front the shirts looked like ordinary green t-shirts, #Alexisgettingmarried printed on a pocket up front, and his first impression had been one of relief. That had quickly been squashed when John turned around to get something from his kitchen and he saw it. 'John Laurens' in bold print at the top of his shoulders, followed by 'If Found, Please Return To Dad.'

When Alexander thrust his shirt at him, Hercules turned it over in his hands, hoping against all hope that it wouldn't say what he thought it would. 

but there it was, in all it's glory.

'Hercules Mulligan,  
You can call me Dad.'


	4. Put up with Aaron Burr

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Same Verse as Non-stop
> 
> set some vague amount of time after ch 28

When Hercules had decided to become an RA, he hadn't realized that it meant his open door policy for the freshmen would also apply to their boyfriends.

Or, more specifically Alex's boyfriend.

Part of him felt bad for begrudging the man, especially because Aaron clearly needed someone to talk to. But when he'd texted Burr to check in how they were doing, he hadn't expected the man to show up at his door looking like death warmed over.

"You sick too?" He asked, before stepping aside to the let the man in when he shook his head.

"Haven't slept much this week," Aaron muttered, standing awkwardly near his desk.

Hercules considered sitting in his chair and forcing the man to stay standing, it was something he'd done before for conversations that he wanted to keep short. Instead he plopped down on his bed and waved for Aaron to take the rolling chair. There was a moment of hesitation and then Burr took it, and Hercules smiled fondly as he thought of how many times it had been Alex there instead. Though Alex was also just as likely to lay on the floor, or when he was in his more pleasant moods, bound in and claim Mulligan's bed for his own. Despite not necessarily being directed at him, the smile seemed to put Aaron at ease.

It hadn't been his intention, but he's still glad for it, after all, tense people tended to skate around the subject and take even longer to get to their point, "So I'm going to guess that whatever you wanted to tell me about Alex couldn't be disclosed over text?"

"He wouldn't be happy to know you were checking up on him at all, " Burr shrugged, "He's sleeping now though. I just... needed a chance to get out of the room again."

Mulligan frowned slightly, just a quick twitch of the lips that he did his best to mask. It wasn't Aaron's fault that Hercules had managed to upset the other man, after all. He still wasn't entirely sure what had happened there, considering usually Alex just whined more when he teased him. But those had been genuine tears. 

"You two spend.... a very large amount of time together." He said carefully.

It wasn't as if he wanted to discourage it. The two did seem to be good for one another and they were a couple, albeit the strangest one he'd met. But Aaron sounded so exhausted, and clearly it wasn't just a sleep issue or he'd be taking advantage of Alex's rest to catch a few hours himself. 

He watched as Aaron ran a hand over his head, a clear sign of discomfort, " I mean... you know his situation. I don't like leaving him alone."

It was a surprising amount of honesty, "That's got to cut into your... well, you time. I know couples tend to be up each other's asses- but do you even have time to study?"

"We study together sometimes. When he's er," there was a long pause as Aaron searched for a word, "not being distracting."

Mulligan held up his hands, "Really, really don't want to know about him being distracting. I will tolerate the knowledge that the two of you are dating. I will even vaguely tolerate the knowledge that there was something going on with Laurens there for a bit- with your consent it seemed. But I'd rather not have any more details. Alex is like a...."

"Like a little brother to you?" Hercules nodded and Aaron smiled, the first real smile he'd seen on the man all evening, "There are times I'm amazed he doesn't call you Dad. He definitely adores the ground you walk on, absolutely terrified to do anything that you might not approve of."

Hercules thought about quipping that that hadn't stopped the man from doing Aaron, but considering his earlier plea to be left in the dark, he let it go, "I know he still doesn't want me knowing... But you do know you're not in this alone- right? Alex can come study with me, or we can play video games."

Aaron protested, "I really don't want to be a bother. And it's not like I don't enjoy spending the time with him."

Mulligan rolled his eyes, "Other than check-in's he hasn't been up here since the two of you became thing. But that wasn't always the case. You ever consider that I'm also offering 'cause I miss his hyperactive ass?"

"I mean, if you're sure," Aaron looked anything but sure himself, "I'll stop monopolizing his time so much."

Hercules stood, walking over to clap a hand on the smaller man's back, "Positive. Now, if you don't mind- it's past two am. We should both get some sleep."

The look that Aaron sent him might have been of gratefulness, but Mulligan was too busy shooing him out the door to notice.


End file.
